As more and more cars get gee-whiz features like backup cameras and crash-avoidance systems, some models distinguish themselves with innovations that seem custom-designed to solve parent problems by keeping kids safe, comfortable and busy, whether they’re in the back seat or behind the wheel.

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Some of those features are pretty great, but what would really thrill me (and get me buying a new car for the first time in a decade) is a high fuel economy minivan- hybrid or diesel.

Jlynn

I agree with PP all this new technology and fuel efficiency has not really improved. My first car was an 89 Chevy Corsica, it got 34 MPG. That is as good as most standard cars, how come in 25 years we can watch DVDs, talk on the phone, and know where we are going but cannot get more miles per gallon.
I know hybrids do get better than that but I am just wondering why there has not been more improvement in this area.

You forgot the Honda van that has a built in vacuum…..no more cheerios under the car seat!

MommaofTwins

I’ve seen conversation mirrors for years, why aren’t we all celebrating the in car vacuum like the Honda!!!

And I agree with Allison, I’d really love to see a hybrid van.

nikki

Agree on the fuel efficiency. My family has a car that is 19 years old and gets 31 MPG & can fit 3 kids in boosters/car seats with lots of trunk space. Why would we replace it when most new vehicles are pretty much equal or worse? Yes, there are a few better MPGs out there but most can’t fit 3 boosters in with storage. Why would we pay big bucks for a car that does the same thing as one that has been paid off for 16 years? Biggest problem: it has a cassette player.

jess

while i do like the idea of built in booster seats ( i am in and out of my moms car and my husbands, or my sisters so often that i forget to take the car seat out!) so it would be convenient, i LOVE the idea of the vacuum like a few of you have pointed out. im surprised that’s not on the list lol

Tina

Improved miles per gallon you say? We are dreaming. The petroleum industry won’t allow it obviously. When toyota was in the test phase of making a solar car with the intention of mass producing it, they “found” defects in the brakes mold of their current models and the poor techno-savvy Japanese basically lost billions doing the re-calls to their cars. They won’t be designing those solar cars now are they.

While I think the vacuum is a good idea in theory, it looks like a very small canister that wouldn’t hold very much. With 6 kids, there’s sometimes a lot more than a few cheerios on the floor. I also think the built in child restraints are a great idea. It would also be really nice to have more 8 passenger vans out there.

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